U.S. freestyle team confident heading into the Olympic Games
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by Craig Sesker
In the photo: Olympian Henry Cejudo and U.S. National Coach Kevin Jackson share a laugh during Saturday afternoon's press conference at the Olympic Games Main Press Center. Photo by Craig Bohnert.
BEIJING, China - There is no shortage of swagger and confidence on the United States men's freestyle wrestling team.
The six-man squad owns a grand total of one World-level medal between them - the bronze medal that Daniel Cormier won at the 2007 World Championships - but when you listen to this group you sense this team is ready to take home its share of hardware at the Olympics.
The U.S. team is not overly experienced, but they're driven, hungry and talented. And ready to make a run at the powerful Russian team that collected six gold medals and one bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships.
That was evident during Saturday afternoon's men's freestyle press conference at the Olympic Games Main Press Center.
The U.S. team consists of Henry Cejudo, Doug Schwab, Ben Askren, Andy Hrovat, Daniel Cormier and Steve Mocco. Cormier, elected freestyle team captain, placed fourth at the 2004 Olympics. He also has made the last four U.S. World Teams. Schwab placed fifth in the World last year while Cejudo and Hrovat have each made a World Team.
"We have very high expectations for the Olympics," U.S. National Coach Kevin Jackson said. "We've had great training camps and we're excited to get out on the mat and compete. I really like the mix of this team."
The U.S. men's freestyle team is scheduled to compete on Aug. 19-21 at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium.
The powerful Russians are heavily favored to turn in the strongest team performance in the men's freestyle divison.
"They won six out of seven weight classes last year, so obviously we are focused on them," Schwab said. "Wanting to beat the Russians is part of it, but we have to be focused on all 20 guys who are in our weight class. We definitely want to knock the Russians off the top."
One of the most intriguing stories on the team involves the outgoing, personable Askren, who has made a rapid transition to becoming a force at the international level. Askren twice won the Hodge Trophy as the best college wrestler in the U.S. Now he takes aim at winning a gold medal at 74 kg/163 lbs. in his first trip to a World-level event on the Senior level.
Askren's wide-open style is something that could be a problem for his opponents.
"I like to wrestle aggressively and put a lot of points on the board," Askren said. "I want to put on a show out there. I've always wrestled that way."
The talented young Cejudo is just 21 years old. He failed to place at the 2007 World Championships, but was not 100 percent physically as he battled neck and back ailments. Cejudo is healthy now and ready to make a big splash in Beijing at 55 kg/121 lbs.
"I'm a smarter wrestler now," Cejudo said. "I'm learning more and more about wrestling at the World-class level. I'm ready to go, I can't wait to get out there."
Cormier broke through the win his first World medal last year and looks primed for another strong showing here. He competes at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. He had the lead in the bronze-medal match at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, but ended up losing the match to finish fourth.
"I had a lot of ups and downs after the (2004) Olympics," Cormier said. "I wasn't as motivated as I needed to be. But in the last 18 months, I've been as motivated as I've been my entire life. I worked in the areas I needed to get better in and I've made a promise to myself that I'm not going to give matches away. I'm going to make them earn it."
Schwab has continued to improve since his top-five finish at the 2007 Worlds. He competes at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
"I know I'm head and shoulders above where I was last year," Schwab said. "My confidence level has really grown. I beat a World champion (Bill Zadick) to make the U.S. team, so I feel like I can beat anybody in the World right now."
Hrovat made the 2006 U.S. World Team, but has made significant improvement since then at 84 kg/185 lbs.
"I need to keep my focus for an entire match," Hrovat said. "I need to put a lot of points on the board and finish my matches strong."
Mocco knocked off Tommy Rowlands, who placed fifth in the World last year, to make his first World Team at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
"I've made a lot of changes," Mocco said. "I moved to the Olympic Training Center to concentrate on my training full-time and it has really helped me."
During the press conference, Hrovat was giving Askren a hard time about what happened during the Olympians' photo opportunity with President Bush prior to the Opening Ceremonies. Askren was looking for someone to serve as a photographer when the team met the President. Askren asked a lady to take a picture for him. He had no idea he gave his camera to Bush's daughter, Barbara.
"When I walked back over to my teammates, they were all laughing at me," Askren said. "They asked me if I had any idea who I had just given my camera to and I said 'no.' They said it was President Bush's daughter. I was kind of embarrassed and I turned around and said I was sorry. And she said, 'Don't worry, I take a good picture.' She did take a good picture and I got a picture with her afterwards.
BEIJING, China - There is no shortage of swagger and confidence on the United States men's freestyle wrestling team.
The six-man squad owns a grand total of one World-level medal between them - the bronze medal that Daniel Cormier won at the 2007 World Championships - but when you listen to this group you sense this team is ready to take home its share of hardware at the Olympics.
The U.S. team is not overly experienced, but they're driven, hungry and talented. And ready to make a run at the powerful Russian team that collected six gold medals and one bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships.
That was evident during Saturday afternoon's men's freestyle press conference at the Olympic Games Main Press Center.
The U.S. team consists of Henry Cejudo, Doug Schwab, Ben Askren, Andy Hrovat, Daniel Cormier and Steve Mocco. Cormier, elected freestyle team captain, placed fourth at the 2004 Olympics. He also has made the last four U.S. World Teams. Schwab placed fifth in the World last year while Cejudo and Hrovat have each made a World Team.
"We have very high expectations for the Olympics," U.S. National Coach Kevin Jackson said. "We've had great training camps and we're excited to get out on the mat and compete. I really like the mix of this team."
The U.S. men's freestyle team is scheduled to compete on Aug. 19-21 at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium.
The powerful Russians are heavily favored to turn in the strongest team performance in the men's freestyle divison.
"They won six out of seven weight classes last year, so obviously we are focused on them," Schwab said. "Wanting to beat the Russians is part of it, but we have to be focused on all 20 guys who are in our weight class. We definitely want to knock the Russians off the top."
One of the most intriguing stories on the team involves the outgoing, personable Askren, who has made a rapid transition to becoming a force at the international level. Askren twice won the Hodge Trophy as the best college wrestler in the U.S. Now he takes aim at winning a gold medal at 74 kg/163 lbs. in his first trip to a World-level event on the Senior level.
Askren's wide-open style is something that could be a problem for his opponents.
"I like to wrestle aggressively and put a lot of points on the board," Askren said. "I want to put on a show out there. I've always wrestled that way."
The talented young Cejudo is just 21 years old. He failed to place at the 2007 World Championships, but was not 100 percent physically as he battled neck and back ailments. Cejudo is healthy now and ready to make a big splash in Beijing at 55 kg/121 lbs.
"I'm a smarter wrestler now," Cejudo said. "I'm learning more and more about wrestling at the World-class level. I'm ready to go, I can't wait to get out there."
Cormier broke through the win his first World medal last year and looks primed for another strong showing here. He competes at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. He had the lead in the bronze-medal match at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, but ended up losing the match to finish fourth.
"I had a lot of ups and downs after the (2004) Olympics," Cormier said. "I wasn't as motivated as I needed to be. But in the last 18 months, I've been as motivated as I've been my entire life. I worked in the areas I needed to get better in and I've made a promise to myself that I'm not going to give matches away. I'm going to make them earn it."
Schwab has continued to improve since his top-five finish at the 2007 Worlds. He competes at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
"I know I'm head and shoulders above where I was last year," Schwab said. "My confidence level has really grown. I beat a World champion (Bill Zadick) to make the U.S. team, so I feel like I can beat anybody in the World right now."
Hrovat made the 2006 U.S. World Team, but has made significant improvement since then at 84 kg/185 lbs.
"I need to keep my focus for an entire match," Hrovat said. "I need to put a lot of points on the board and finish my matches strong."
Mocco knocked off Tommy Rowlands, who placed fifth in the World last year, to make his first World Team at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
"I've made a lot of changes," Mocco said. "I moved to the Olympic Training Center to concentrate on my training full-time and it has really helped me."
During the press conference, Hrovat was giving Askren a hard time about what happened during the Olympians' photo opportunity with President Bush prior to the Opening Ceremonies. Askren was looking for someone to serve as a photographer when the team met the President. Askren asked a lady to take a picture for him. He had no idea he gave his camera to Bush's daughter, Barbara.
"When I walked back over to my teammates, they were all laughing at me," Askren said. "They asked me if I had any idea who I had just given my camera to and I said 'no.' They said it was President Bush's daughter. I was kind of embarrassed and I turned around and said I was sorry. And she said, 'Don't worry, I take a good picture.' She did take a good picture and I got a picture with her afterwards.
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